Queensland Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk has announced that the state's border with NSW will open on February 1, in a decision that's caught the NSW Premier by surprise.
It means Greater Sydney will no longer be declared a hotspot and millions of residents across 35 local government areas will be able to enter Queensland from Monday without undergoing mandatory hotel quarantine.
It comes after New South Wales yesterday recorded 10 consecutive days of no locally acquired coronavirus cases.
"Credit to New South Wales. They got on top of their cases," Ms Palaszczuk said.
"Our Chief Health Officer was delighted last night when she briefed me and I think it's great news.
"So the border checkpoints will be coming down."
NSW Premier Gladys Berejiklian was not contacted by Ms Palaszczuk about the changes.
She was informed by a Sydney radio host while doing a separate interview at the same time Ms Palaszczuk unveiled her plans on TV.
Ms Berejiklian said she was not bothered by the blindside.
"The important thing is that the right outcome is achieved," she said.
"We haven't had a hotspot in NSW for a while and even if we do, the whole state doesn't need to suffer."
NSW residents have been shut out of Queensland since December.
Ms Palaszczuk acknowledged the border closure had been difficult for many.
"It has been a really, really long haul, and it has been tough on everybody, but I've always maintained, I have to keep Queenslanders safe," she said.
"It's a great time for families to be reunited, but also, too, for people to plan their holidays, and I'm here in Cairns at the moment.
"I met with tourism operators yesterday. They're really feeling it at the moment."
Ms Palaszczuk said she would continue to monitor the state’s border status going forward.
"I think what we've seen is the hotspot program has been working very well, especially when we had the lockdown in Greater Brisbane, where I put to the National Cabinet that everyone else should declare greater Brisbane a hotspot because I did."
https://news.google.com/__i/rss/rd/articles/CBMiaWh0dHBzOi8vd3d3LmFiYy5uZXQuYXUvbmV3cy8yMDIxLTAxLTI4L2Nvcm9uYXZpcnVzLXF1ZWVuc2xhbmQtY292aWQtYm9yZGVyLXJlc3RyaWN0aW9ucy1uc3ctbGlmdC8xMzA5NTcyNNIBJ2h0dHBzOi8vYW1wLmFiYy5uZXQuYXUvYXJ0aWNsZS8xMzA5NTcyNA?oc=5
2021-01-27 20:33:00Z
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